1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to intelligent-networked telecommunication systems for providing telephone services. More particularly, the present invention relates to the aforementioned networks as relates to the administration of billing for toll calls, telephone calls to special services, and other situations in which billing can be potentially handled by more than one component of the system.
2. Background
Intelligent Networks (INs) are used in telecommunication systems, such as Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs), for the automated processing of telephone calls. In the typical IN architecture, a central computer called a Service Control Point (SCP) stores logic and data to direct telephone services and telephone calls through the network. Several switches used to perform switching of calls in the IN communicate with the SCP using standard messaging protocols such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Intelligent Network Application Part (INAP), or the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) INAP. Typically, the aforementioned switches each contain a Service Switching Point (SSP) for controlling call routing, an Originating Call Processor (OCP) for initially handling calls routed to the switch, and a Terminating Call Processor (TCP) for terminating calls to a destination. Used in this specification, the terms xe2x80x9cterminationxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cterminatingxe2x80x9d refer to connecting a call to a destination number.
The switches may also include, or have connected thereto, one or more Intelligent Peripherals (LPs) used to interface between customers and the IN in order to make the system user-friendly. IPs may contain announcement devices, text-to-voice converters, and decoders for decoding Dual-Tone-Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals generated by the alphanumeric keypads of a customer""s telephone or other telephonic device, or other devices.
As is known in the art, customers can be connected to the IN via Local Exchange Carriers or Local Exchange Centers (LECs).
The software of the IN can be modified to change or eliminate existing services, or introduce new services via a Service Creation Environment (SCE). A related Service Management System (SMS) allows customers to establish or modify their telephone service via several communication avenues, including telephone calls to an automated menu, a conversation with a telephone operator, and by using the Internet.
Communication between the various components of the IN (i.e., queries, responses, and the like) can be carried out using Common Channel Signaling (CCS) or packet switching such as the ITU""s System Number 7 (S7).
Calling Line Identifiers (also known as Calling Line Identities or Calling Line Identifications) are used to indicate the telephone line/wire or group trunk of an origination telephone call. Important uses of Calling Line Identifiers (CLIs) include Caller Identification (Caller ID), and telephone billing administration.
Prior art INs often designate certain customer transactions for which the IN will handle billing, rather than other components of a general telecommunication system. For example, INs capable of processing telephone calling card transactions are set up to handle the billing as well. In current telecommunication systems, the billing for telephone transactions such as toll calls, and calls to Special Service platforms is handled by the component performing the service or connection. The CLI of the originating telephone party is used to identify the financially responsible customer.
When a telephone customer requests, and is connected to a Special Service, the Special Service platform uses the received original CLI to bill for the service. A wide variety of special services includes information checking, general consulting, weather reporting, time and temperature announcing, and directory assistance.
When a telephone call reaches the tandem or toll switch, the tandem or toll switch uses the received original CLI or a pseudo CLI created by the upstream switch Originating Call Processor (OCP) when the original CLI is not available to bill for a long distance call or other services.
Because prior art telecommunication systems are automatically set up to have a component providing a service also handle billing, and because INs are set up to handle the billing of certain transactions, a billing conflict sometimes exists, leading to double (or redundant) billing for the same telephone transaction. For example, the IN bills a calling card customer""s calling card account when that customer dials a special service or a long distance number. The special service platform may also bill the call to the account associated with the CLI of the telephone line from which the call was placed, resulting in a double billing. The tandem or toll switch may also bill the long distance call to the account associated with the CLI of the telephone line from which the call was placed, resulting in a double billing even though the IN has already billed for the long distance call.
Some prior art solutions to avoid the aforementioned double billing situations exist on the switch OCP side of a telephone system. However, those solutions have no controls implemented from the IN side of the telephone system, and are not service-dependent.
There is a great and unmet (by the prior art) need to avoid service-dependent redundant billing situations due to the aforementioned confused CLI problem in intelligent-networked telecommunication systems.
In view of the aforementioned problems and deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides, in an intelligent-networked telecommunication system, a method of avoiding redundant billing between an intelligent network (IN) and another component of the system where a billing conflict exists due to a confused CLI problem. The method at least includes the steps of providing a plurality of telephonic devices for initiating and receiving telephone calls, and providing an automated IN for the automatic processing of telephone calls in the telecommunication system, the IN at least including a service control point (SCP) at least including control logic and an SCP database, and the IN at least including a plurality of switches coupled to telephone devices.
The method also includes the steps of, via the switches, routing calls authorized by the SCP to a destination number specified by a calling party, designating the IN as handling billing for a telephone transaction, and via the SCP, strategically creating and substituting for an original Calling Line Identifier (CLI), a pseudo CLI when the destination number (DN) or service key (SK) indicates from the SCP database, that a billing conflict exists between the IN and another component of the system. The method additionally transfers a telephone call to the DN with the pseudo CLI instead of the original CLI.
The present invention also provides an intelligent-networked telecommunication system adapted to avoid redundant billing between an IN and another component of the system where a billing conflict exists due to a confused CLI problem. The system at least includes a plurality of telephonic devices adapted to initiate and receive telephone calls, and an automated IN adapted to automatically process telephone calls in the telecommunication system, the IN at least including an SCP at least including control logic and an SCP database, and the IN at least including a plurality of switches coupled to telephone devices.
The switches are adapted to route calls authorized by the SCP to a destination number specified by a calling party. The SCP is adapted to strategically create and substitute for an original CLI, a pseudo CLI when the DN or SK indicates from the SCP database, that a billing conflict exists between the IN and another component of the system. The SCP is further adapted to transfer a telephone call to the DN with the pseudo CLI instead of the original CLI.